Abstract
Abstract Contemporary society is plagued by a number of issues and inconsistencies on both an environmental and a socio-economic level. Reliance on bank loans forces debtors to seek means to repay their debts, thus facilitating the current boundless economic growth in which long-term, environmental considerations typically come second. On the individual level, since virtually nothing is free, everyone has to ensure his or her own livelihood, mostly in the form of wage labour. For fear of poverty, the unemployed must adjust to the needs of the job market and risk not being able to fully explore their potential. Other socio-economic groups also face stigmatisation, and inequality is rampant as a result of the pervasive market-based pricing mechanisms. In view of these issues, it seems unjustified to accept these terms and conditions in the future, especially since the West has to cater to its ageing population and the ensuing pressure this will exert on welfare systems. Therefore, as a transdisciplinary team assisted by various experts and armed with insights from a wide <target target-type="page-num" id="p-2"/>variety of sources, we propose an alternative model of society based on the values of fairness, inclusion and transparency, with the goal of developing a representative systems map for a future, resilient and equitable society. The exact workings of this society are captured by several building blocks, which together endeavour to cover the full range of functions and responsibilities associated with society today, and jointly promote democratisation while guaranteeing equal political representation for all members of society.
Highlights
Our Current PredicamentToday’s world is undergoing a variety of radical changes
Another related issue in most western societies is the general increase in public distrust of the government and its institutions, leading to a rise in populism and political extremism (Goodwin, 2018; van der Meer, 2017)
While the idea behind the Universal Basic Income (UBI) is not new, it may help in addressing contemporary issues including job scarcity and overly complex and poorly structured welfare systems (IMF, 2017)
Summary
Today’s world is undergoing a variety of radical changes. The economic and technology sectors have recently experienced unparalleled and largely unchecked growth, while environmental issues intensify and largescale demographic shifts in contemporary societies imply future complications. Advances in automation technology have resulted in the widespread loss of jobs in the manufacturing industry, and as machines become more advanced many other industries may be threatened in the future (Sundararajan, 2017) Demographic changes, such as the ageing population in the West and the incipient problem of overpopulation, will eventually lead to challenges for existing welfare structures (Deboosere, 2018). While the idea behind the UBI is not new (it was first proposed in the 18th century), it may help in addressing contemporary issues including job scarcity and overly complex and poorly structured welfare systems (IMF, 2017). That these remedies are valuable in their own right is beyond doubt, yet none can singlehandedly resolve the current predicament.
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